Egypt's Aid to Saudi Arabia May Be Limited to Defense; Regional Security Impact Still to Be Observed

The spokesperson for the Egyptian presidential office announced on social media on the 18th that the Egyptian Defense Council has decided to provide "all necessary and possible support" to Saudi Arabia to help maintain national security and stability. What are the reasons behind Egypt's decision to support Saudi Arabia? How will Egypt assist in maintaining Saudi national security and regional stability?

Egypt's attitude towards supporting Saudi Arabia is quite positive

Qin Tian, Deputy Director of the Middle East Studies Institute at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations: Whether it is the meeting of the Egyptian Defense Council or the topics currently being debated in the Egyptian parliament, the signals being conveyed by Egypt are very clear: to provide a certain degree of firm military support to Saudi Arabia, which is inseparable from the relatively good bilateral relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia recently.

Egypt aims to proactively influence the situation in Yemen and the Red Sea region

Qin Tian, Deputy Director of the Middle East Studies Institute at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations: During the Sisi era, Saudi Arabia provided Egypt with a lot of assistance, especially in terms of economic and financial support, which helped boost Egypt's economy. Now that Saudi Arabia needs external assistance, Egypt also hopes to reciprocate. At the same time, Egypt's latest statements and actions reflect its concerns about the current situation in Yemen and the Red Sea, indicating Egypt's desire to proactively shape and influence the situation.

The situation in Yemen has a negative impact on Egypt's geopolitical position

Qin Tian, Deputy Director of the Middle East Studies Institute at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations: After the emergence of a shipping crisis in the Red Sea, there has been a significant impact on Egypt's Suez Canal in the northern Red Sea, negatively affecting Egypt's economy and strategic position. Additionally, the outbreak of the conflict in Yemen and the turmoil in the Horn of Africa have created a certain degree of negative interaction. In the Horn of Africa, we can see the civil war in Sudan, the fragmentation of Somalia, and disputes between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Overall, Egypt's recent statements and actions are attempting to create a safer and more stable environment for itself.

Egypt's military support for Saudi Arabia is defensive and limited

Qin Tian, Deputy Director of the Middle East Studies Institute at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations: Although Egypt's attitude is very firm, its specific operations exhibit considerable flexibility. From Egypt's recent statements, the support it provides to Saudi Arabia is primarily defensive, aimed at helping Saudi Arabia defend against Houthi attacks, rather than launching substantial offensives against the Houthis themselves. Furthermore, the geographical scope of Egypt's assistance is limited to within Saudi Arabia, mainly helping Saudi Arabia defend its borders and protect important infrastructure, rather than deploying large-scale military forces in Yemen. The assistance Egypt is providing this time is more akin to the military support currently promised by Pakistan and Turkey to Saudi Arabia. Overall, it reflects Egypt's efforts to maintain regional security for itself and its allies amidst a complex backdrop of geopolitical crises.